About Me

Early American Folk art and trades

20111126

Inspired by a Lincoln county piece featured in Howard Pain's book. The width was modified to suit a smaller dining room. The piece sits on a plinth base with fully dovetailed corners. The upper doors feature true divided lights. Finished in milk paint and linseed oil.

The paint finish is milk paint in a reddish brown, two coats. Be sure to rub out each coat of the milk paint with steel wool as milk paint leaves a rough surface. It's also not like regular paint in that as it is applied and dries you will notice slight variations in color.

After the second coat is dry and has been rubbed out, then apply the oil with a rag. Let it soak in for about 10 minutes and wipe off any excess. A second coat of oil will likely be necessary. The oil will really change the appearance of the milk paint, from the dull flat reddish brown to the colour you see in the picture.

In this case I used Watco Danish oil in the light walnut shade. You can also use tung oil.

Martin, the book is 'The Heritage of Upper Canadian Furniture'. The piece used as a reference in on page 354, plate # 345. Much of the Lincoln county furniture takes it's design from American styles as it borders New York State.

The colour is two coats of Mennonite red milk paint followed by two coats of Watco Danish oil in the medium walnut colour.

The colour is now called barn red and is available from http://www.milkpaint.com/and is also available at Lee Valley Tools.